Aide Arrested In Boy's Death

Police Say She Was Careless, Leading To 11-year-old's Accidental Drowning

December 16, 2000|By LIZABETH HALL; Courant Staff Writer

BLOOMFIELD — An aide at a group home for severely disabled children surrendered Friday to police who arrested her on allegations that her carelessness led to the drowning of an 11-year-old boy left alone in a bathtub.

Police charged Marvika Francis, 25, of Windsor, with one count of second-degree manslaughter. A Class C felony, the charge carries a prison sentence of one to 10 years, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. Police released her on a $100,000 non-surety bond.

Francis had worked for less than four months as a part-time caregiver at the group home run by the Greater Hartford Association for Retarded Citizens, and remains on administrative leave with pay. The home, at 42 Woodland Ave., is funded and licensed by the state Department of Mental Retardation.

On Friday, Francis emerged from the police department looking drawn. She did not speak, but her lawyer, Salvatore Bonanno of Hartford, said Francis broke down and wept as police booked her.

``She is devastated that this happened,'' he said. ``As one could expect, she's become very attached to the residents there.''

Francis attended the child's wake and funeral, he said.

Bonanno said he has not seen the arrest warrant concerning Samuel Hadden's death on Nov. 29. According to police, Francis did not fasten the safety belts of a special recliner chair Samuel and other residents used while being bathed. Leaving him in the tub, which was three-quarters full, she went past the dining room and into the kitchen to prepare the child's medications. While she was out of the bathroom, Samuel slid down in the chair, submerging his head, police said.

At the time, the house coordinator and nurse were conducting a tour for recent nursing graduates whom they were hoping to interest in working there, police said. Before Francis left for the kitchen, a second aide who had helped put Samuel into the tub left to put his dirty clothes in the laundry room and talk with the nurses.

The home, one of the few in the state dedicated to children with pervasive disabilities, was created in large part through the effort of Samuel's parents, David and Sara Hadden of Simsbury, for their sons. Samuel's older brother Jamie, now 20, continues to live at the home.

The Hadden boys were born with the same rare genetic disorder that essentially collapsed their central nervous systems. Samuel was blind, mute, severely retarded, susceptible to seizures and unable to walk or feed himself.

The boys' parents were deeply involved in their sons' care, and bought many gifts and equipment for the home. They remain supportive of HARC, the organization they have dedicated their energies to for more than 15 years.

Francis' arrest will shift scrutiny onto the home, its training and procedures. The conclusion of the police investigation clears the way for the state Department of Children and Families and state child advocate to pursue independent investigations.

Because a child's death is involved, the state Department of Children and Families will carry out the investigation for the state Department of Mental Retardation, which had complete oversight of the group home. The Department of Mental Retardation, which contracts HARC to run the Bloomfield home as well as others in the state, handles both licensing and inspections.

The state Department of Mental Retardation again declined to comment Friday, releasing a written statement that the agency preferred to wait ``until all investigations have been completed in this case and DMR has had an opportunity to thoroughly review the facts surrounding this unfortunate incident.''

In an interview with police, Stanley Ingersoll, vice president of operations and resident support for HARC, was quoted as saying it wasn't unusual for support staff to leave for brief moments while residents were being bathed to gather clothing or obtain their medications.

In inspecting the bathing chair, police reported that its Velcro straps ``appeared worn out and did not appear to be adequately effective.''

Becker, who fought alongside the Haddens for better care for children with intensive needs and was Samuel's godfather, said HARC welcomes any recommendations that improve safety.

The Haddens have said they do not want HARC's mission of extending personal care to severely disabled children jeopardized.

``We don't want families to have to travel two hours each way to see their children who are living out of state,'' Becker said. ``At places like this, parents come home from work and touch their kids. They read them a story. That's the magic of Woodland Avenue.''